Volkmar Andreae - Piano Trio No. 1, 2

 

Volkmar Andreae in 1909

(5 July 1879 – 18 June 1962)[1] was a Swiss conductor and composer.

 

Piano Trio No. 1 in F minor Op. 1 (1899)

Dedication: Dr. Karl Munzinger

1. Allegro (0:00)
2. Adagio (10:30)
3. Allegro ma non troppo (19:22)

Locran Ensemble

 

[Details by Edition Silvertrust]

The language of Piano Trio No.1 is very late Romantic or post-Romantic, much in the way that Dohnanyi's early works are. It begins with a powerful Allegro. The composer takes us to a remarkably expressive tonal world, fresh sounding and original. The music is given an expressive sense of forward motion which is in part created by the compelling development section. The middle movement, Adagio, is of the sort Brahms might have written had he lived another ten years. The beautiful opening theme bears a distant relationship to the opening theme of the trio, heard in the Allegro. The middle sections is a very original scherzando. The hand of Brahms can be felt in the finale, Allegro ma non troppo. Though it is unhurried, nevertheless, there is an undercurrent of urgency. A lovely second theme provides excellent contrast.

 

Piano Trio No. 2 in E-flat major, Op. 14 (1908?)

Dedication: Grossherzog Ernst Ludwig von Hessen (1868-1937)

1. Allegro moderato (0:00)
2. Molto adagio (11:23)
3. Presto (19:02)
4. Allegro con brio, assai vivace (26:37)

Locrian Ensemble

"Andreae's Piano Trio No.2 is in four movements. Its big opening Allegro moderato shows a new receptivity and influence from the French impressionists. What is particularly striking is that each of the voices, for great stretches at a time, works quite independently of the others. In the slow movement, Molto adagio, which follows, a dark meditative stillness descends. After the theme is given out, an impressive set of variations follows. A scherzo, Presto, with its tremendous tempo, gives the music a gossamer-like quality. The trio could not be more different, very slow and reflective, it completely washes away the light, nervous mood of the scherzo. This is a highly original and very inventive movement. The expansive and exciting finale, Allegro con brio, is music of movement. The main melody, a hunting theme, is played over a strong rhythm in the piano. The second subject creates a very fine contrast. Like the first trio, this trio is first rate and it is a very great shame it has not taken its place on the concert stage and on the stands of amateurs.---The Chamber Music Journal

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Andreae was born in Bern. He received piano instruction as a child and his first lessons in composition with Karl Munzinger. From 1897 to 1900, he studied at the Cologne Conservatory and was a student of Fritz Brun, Franz Wüllner, Isidor Seiss and Friedrich Wilhelm Franke. In 1900 he was a soloist tutor at the Munich Hofoper. In 1902 he took over the leadership of the Mixed Choir of Zurich (Der Gemischte Chor Zürich), where he remained until 1949, also leading the Stadtsängerverein Winterthur from 1902 to 1914 and the Männerchor Zürich from 1904 to 1914.

From 1906 to 1949 he led the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich and from 1914 to 1939 the Conservatory of Zurich. (He was offered the opportunity of succeeding Gustav Mahler as conductor of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra in 1911, but he declined.)[2] Later he worked as freelance composer in Vienna and worked internationally as a conductor (especially with the works of Anton Bruckner). He composed opera, symphony and chamber music, piano, violin, and oboe concertos, piano music, as well as choir music and songs. He died in Zurich.

He is mentioned in Chapter XXI of Thomas Mann's novel Doctor Faustus, where he is cited as conducting the Thirteen Brentano Lieder by the fictional composer Adrian Leverkühn. This fictional concert is said to have taken place in 1922 in the Tonhalle in Zurich.[3]

His grandson is the conductor Marc Andreae, who recorded various of his grandfather's works for the Guild label.